Restoration of an important biodiversity area: La Montagne Saint-Pierre (Belgium)

By BirdLife Europe, Sun, 05/08/2012 - 15:06

Located at the bank of the River Meuse, at the frontier between Belgium and Holland, La Montagne-Saint-Pierre has provided the mining industry with raw materials for many years. The site nowadays testifies to the evolution of nature and landscapes subjected to intensive human influence. Over the centuries, extraordinary fauna and flora have developed here, thanks to the calcareous soils.

A LIFE+ project “Hélianthème” co-financed by the European Commission, is to be jointly implemented by Natagora and Natuurpunt (BirdLife Partners in Wallonia and Flanders, Belgium). It aims to restore the vast calcareous meadows that characterise this mountainous area, which is rich in rare and threatened species. In line with the Heidelberg environmental policy, CBR, the Belgian subsidiary of HeidelbergCement, which specialises in the extraction of the calcareous rock in the region, collaborates with the two Belgian NGOs for the responsible and sustainable management of nature around the La Montagne-Saint-Pierre by giving them access to their numerous quarries.

A short documentary (in French) tells the history of La Montagne-Saint-Pierre, explaining the relationship between the activities of the local community and industry and their impact on the rich biodiversity. It describes the actions being taken to restore this site’s high value to nature. Check the video here. For more information, please contact Elodie Cantaloube, Media and Communication Assitant at BirdLife Europe.